Around the Valley in 80 Years

On May 4^th, 1939, fifteen educators in the Phoenix area banded together to start a local credit union for teachers. They didn’t have millions of dollars, or even thousands. They had just $78.75. That would be equivalent to founding a financial institution with only $1,413.19 in today’s dollars!

These fifteen courageous people had a vision of creating a financial institution that would help members of their community reach their goals. It’s been 80 years since Desert Financial — originally known as Arizona Educational Association #1 Federal Credit Union and later Desert Schools — opened its doors, yet we remain true to our founders’ values.

We believe in sharing our success with our members, our community and our team simply because it’s the right thing to do. We began the year with our largest single payout to date: an $8M Member Giveback Bonus!

In celebration of our 80^th anniversary, we’re also inviting members to stop by a Desert Financial branch on May 4^th, 2019, and enjoy a special treat that pays tribute to our legacy. With your help, we will continue to share our success with the community we love for another 80 years!

Then vs. Now: A Snapshot

Desert Financial is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2019! A lot has changed in the last eight decades. Check out this comparison of some common costs and other data from our early days to today’s numbers.